Stoker conveyer



INVENTOR Nazi/2 an M Lou/en ATTORN EY 'March 3, 1936. N. M. LOWER STOKERCONVEYER Fi led Oct. 10, 1934 Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED STATESSTOKER, CONVEYER Nathan M. Lower, Tuckahoe, N. Y., assignor to TheStandard Stoker Company, Incorporated, a corporation of DelawareApplication October 10, 1934, Serial No. 747,663

3 Claims.

This invention relates to stokers for locomotives and has for its objectthe provision of a stoker conveyer including a conduit section on thelocomotive, a conduit section on the tender 5 and a non-extensible and-cntractible intermediate conduit at one end universally connected tothe conduit section on the locomotive and at the other universally andslidably engaging the adjacent end of the conduit section on the tender.

The advantages of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription and the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. l is a central longitudinal section through a portion of alocomotive and tender with the 15 stoker conveyer of the inventionapplied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

On the drawing, the locomotive is indicated at I0, having a firebox llprovided with a firing opening I2 in the backhead l3 thereof. The tenderl4 rearward of the locomotive has the usual fuel bin I5 with anapertured floor l6 spaced a distance above the underframe I! sufficientto provide space for a stoker conveyer as will presently appear. Anywell known coupling connection 18 ties the tender to the locomotive andpermits articulation between them.

Fuel is conveyed from the fuel bin l5 tothe firebox H by the stoker S,only that portion of which is shown necessary to illustrate the improvedconveyer organization of this invention. The stoker includes a conduitsystem comprising the rearward trough section A held rigid to theapertured floor l6 by tie straps l9, a forward or riser conduit sectionB fixedly mounted by means such as the support 20 to the backhead l3 incommunication with the firing opening l2, and a nonextensible and-contractible intermediate conduit section C extending between therearward and forward conduit sections A and B.

Articulation between the conduit sections necessary because of thearticulation between the locomotive and its tender is provided in theconstruction of and the relation between the intermediate section C andthe adjacent ends of the trough and riser sections A and B. For thispurpose a spherical ball 2| formed at the forward end of theintermediate section C is received in the spherical seat 22 facingoutwardly from the lower end portion of the riser section B. This seatand the ball together with the complementary clamp member 23 form auniversal joint connection tying the intermediate conduit section to theriser conduit section, preventing longitudinal movement of the onewithout the other.

The opposite end of the intermediate conduit section is formed with anenlarged sleeve or cylindrical portion 24 slidably fitting over thehollow spherical ball 25 of the trough section A. This constructionpermits universal as well as longitudinal movements between the troughand intermediate sections. Hence the universal connection between theintermediate and riser conduit sections and the universal andlongitudinally slidable relation between the intermediate and troughsections permit the required articulation.

Fuel is conveyed through the conduit sections to the distributor 26 fordistribution over the firebox by the universally connected screws 21 and28 rotatably mounted in the trough and intermediate conduit sectionsrespectively and by the separated screw section 29 mounted in the riserconduit section B. Any suitable drive mechanism may be employed to drivethe screw section 29 through the gearing 30 at the base thereof and todrive the screw sections 21 and 28 through the shaft 3| leading togearing (not shown) in the housing 32.

Not only is the intermediate conduit section 01' simple compactconstruction providing for the required articulation between theconveyer sections but it also simplifies uncoupling the locomotive andtender because there is no necessity for removing covers or otherfastening members to permit the conveyer to pull apart.

I claim:

1. In an intercoupled locomotive and tender, a conveying system leadingfrom the tender to the locomotive comprising a conduit section mountedon the tender and having an unvarying longitudinal relation therewith, aconveyer screw in said conduit, a conduit section mounted on thelocomotive and having an unvarying longitudinal re lation therewith, aconveyer screw in said conduit, an intermediate conduit of unvaryinglength between the first and second named conduits arranged with itsaxis. approximately in the horizontal plane of the axis of said firstnamed conduit section, said intermediate conduit at one end beingflexibly related with one of said conduit sections and having anunvarying longitudinal relation therewith, said intermediate conduit atits opposite end being flexibly related with the other of said conduitsections and having a varying longitudinal relation therewith, and aconveyer screw in said intermediate conduit, said last named conveyerscrew at one end being flexibly connected to one of said named conveyerscrews and having an unvarying longitudinal relation therewith, saidlast named conveyer screw at its opposite end being offset and separatedfrom the adjacent end of the other of said conveyer screws and having avarying longitudinal relation therewith.

2. In an intercoupled locomotive and tender, a conveying system leadingfromthe tender to the locomotive comprising a conduit section mounted onthe tender and having an unvarying longitudinal relation therewith, aconveyer screw in said conduit, a conduit section mounted on thelocomotive and having an unvarying longitudinal relation therewith, aconveyer screw in said conduit, an intermediate conduit of unvaryinglength between the first and second named conduits ar ranged with itsaxis approximately in the horizontal plane of the axis of said firstnamed conduit section, said intermediate conduit at one end beingflexibly related with one of said conduit sections and having anunvarying longitudinal relation therewith, said intermediate conduit atits opposite end being flexibly related with the other of said conduitsections and having a varying longitudinal relation therewith, and aconveyer screw in said intermediate conduit, said last nam'ed conveyerscrew at one end being flexibly connected to said first named conveyerscrew and having an unvarying longitudinal relation therewith, said lastnamed conveyer screw at its opposite end being ofiset and separated fromthe second named conveyer screw and having a varying longitudinalrelation therewith.

3. In an intercoupled locomotive and tender, a conveying system leadingfrom the tender to the locomotive comprising a conduit section mountedon the tender and having an unvarying longitudinal relation therewith, aconveyer screw in said conduit, a conduit section mounted on thelocomotive and having an unvarying longitudinal relation therewith, aconveyer screw in said conduit, an intermediate conduit of unvaryinglength between the first and second named conduits, said intermediateconduit at one end being flexibly related with one of said conduitsections and. having an unvarying longitudinal'relation therewith, saidintermediate conduit at its opposite end being flexibly related with theother of said conduit sections and having a varying longitudinalrelation therewith, and a conveyer screw in said intermediate conduit,said last named conveyer screw at one end being flexibly connected toone of said named conveyer screws and having an unvarying longitudinalrelation therewith, said last named conveyer screw at its opposite endbeing offset and separated from the adjacent end of the other of saidconveyer screws and having a varying longitudinal relation therewith.

NATHAN M. LOWER

